Today's Day In Pop

Dr. Conrad Murray Found Guilty In Michael Jackson's Death Trial
(superLOUD) Dr. Conrad Murray has been found guilty in the involuntary manslaughter of Michael Jackson.

Murray is the doctor that was administering Propofol to Michael as a nightly sleep aid, the drug which was found to cause his death. Jurors came back with the verdict after a 6-week trial.

Dr. Murray is scheduled for sentencing on November 29th and faces up to 4 years in jail. According to TMZ, he will not go to state prison because of a new law, and will likely serve his time in L.A. County Jail. Read the reactions to the verdict here



Adele Undergoes Throat Surgery
(popmusiclife) Adele has undergone throat surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

The operation was to stop a vocal cord hemorrhage from a benign polyp, which has caused the British singer to cancel concerts and personal appearances, in both the US and at home, through the end of this year.

The Boston Herald reports that the hospital says the singer's surgeon, Dr. Steven Zeitels, expects Adele to make a full recovery. Adele was in good hands: Zeitels, the director of the Mass General's voice center, has worked on rock singers like Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and The Who's Roger Daltrey. more on this story



Teen Girl Threatens To Kill Justin Bieber's Ex-Girlfriend
(TMZ) The LAPD got a search warrant against someone who was after Caitlin Beadles -- Justin Bieber's former GF ... someone who wanted to skin her alive ... and the perp is a 14-year-old girl.

According to the warrant -- obtained by TMZ -- someone went on tumblr.com, a social media website, using the name KILLSGANDCB -- we're guessing it means kill Selena Gomez and Caitlin Beadles. The perp said she was going to "murder" Beadles and had cameras trained on her 24/7, ominously promising the victim won't know what's coming until she "wakes up on the other side of her bed with a knife."

TMZ has learned ... the suspect is a 14-year-old girl who lives in Kentucky who is developmentally disabled. We're told LAPD detectives contacted her mother, who is now closely monitoring her internet activities.

Meanwhile, Selena's alleged stalker, Thomas Brodnicki, remains in jail on felony stalking charges and cops say he's a real threat to her. more on this story



X Factor Contestant Gets Warning
(TMZ) Josh Krajcik's chance at winning $5 million bucks on "X Factor" could go up in smoke -- because the singer's doctor believes cigarettes and booze are sabotaging his shot at victory ... TMZ has learned.

A source close to the production tells us, Krajcik was having issues with his voice giving out during practice last week -- a doctor told him boozing and smoking were to blame ... and Krajcik should stop both IMMEDIATELY.

At that point, we're told that Josh's mentor, Nicole Scherzinger, stepped in to tell him to cut down before he gets eliminated ... but while Josh is trying, quitting ain't easy.

The source said Josh "knows he needs to if he has his sights set on winning." more on this story



The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Soundtrack Leads This Week's New Releases
(popmusiclife) The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 hits theatres November 18, but the soundtrack sees its release on Tuesday.

Christina Perri's "A Thousand Years" became the first song off the soundtrack to premiere a video recently, due to Bruno Mars not having his video done on schedule. Now, Twilight fans can sink their teeth into the full soundtrack.

Another compilation is out this week, as well: "NOW That's What I Call Music Vol. 40" features tracks from Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson, Maroon 5 and many others. See what other releases are coming out this week



Kelly Clarkson Stars In New Toyota Commercial
(popmusiclife) Kelly Clarkson is starring in a new Toyota commercial. In an ad for the 2102 Camry, Clarkson is joined by sportscaster Chris Berman, Inside The Actor Studio's James Lipton and TV chef Andrew Zimmern.

Clarkson and her crew all sing-along in the commercial…and Kelly does the driving. The ad promotes features like streaming radio, sports scores, movie tickets and restaurant reservations…each element is tied in with one of the four featured players.

Music in the commercial is Clarkson's new single, "What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger)," from her new album, "Stronger." Check out the ad here



Glee Side Story Tonight
The Glee cast will be performing their software improved versions of songs from West Side Story and a Billy Joel classic on tonight's episode.

Here is the synopsis and song list: Under Artie's directorial leadership, the kids prepare to perform the school musical "West Side Story."

Meanwhile, Finn meets with a recruiter and Coach Beiste has an admirer in the all-new "The First Time" episode of GLEE airing Tuesday, Nov. 8 (8:00-9:01 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (GLE-305) (TV-14 D, L, S) more on this story



Final Destination Star Arrested
(TMZ) Ryan Merriman, one of the stars of the movie "Final Destination 3," was arrested in Newport Beach, CA late Sunday night after cops suspected he was driving under the influence ... TMZ has learned.

Merriman was originally pulled over for a routine violation -- when cops suspected the actor wasn't sober.

Merriman was arrested on suspicion of DUI and hauled to a nearby station -- where he was booked. more on this story



CSI Star Arrested For Allegedly Breaking Girlfriend's Nose
(TMZ) Former CSI star Gary Dourdan was arrested Sunday night for allegedly breaking his former girlfriend's nose ..law enforcement sources tell TMZ.

We're told a former girlfriend went to Dourdan's home in Venice, CA Sunday night. Cops received a disturbance call at around 9 PM, arrived at the house but the woman had already left. While the cops were there, someone called LAPD and said an injured woman was in a nearby alley -- it was Dourdan's ex. Cop looked her over and it appeared she had a broken nose and she said Dourdan was the culprit.

The former "CSI" star was arrested and booked for felony battery. He's being held on $50,000 bail [as of Monday morning]. more on this story



Lady Gaga Auctioning Rare Items
(popmusiclife) Lady Gaga fans will want to get their hands on some of her goodies up for auction this fall.

Up for grabs at Julien's Auctions Rock N' Roll & Sports Auction is Gaga's famous structured dress worn for the cover of Madame Figaro magazine in 2001; the now famous costume designed by Irina Shaposhnikova is estimated to sell for $10,000 - $20,000.

And, the prop gun used in Lady Gaga's music video for "Born This Way," will also be offered, with an estimated value of $6,000-$8,000. more on this story



Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries Hold Reconciliation Meeting
(TMZ) Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries threw a Hail Mary Sunday ... to see if they could save their marriage -- and after a four-hour meeting with their pastor, sources close to the couple tell TMZ a reconciliation is "up in the air."

According to our sources, the meeting with Pastor Joel Johnson went well as they talked through lots of issues. We're told the two expressed respect and love for each other ... but both acknowledged a lot is wrong with their relationship.

Our sources say Kris was "ecstatic" Kim made the trip to Minnesota and he truly thinks he can win her back.

As for Kim .... she's unsure if she even wants to give it another go ... but for now, she's willing to keep talking. more on this story



John Rich Hosting ThanksUSA's 2011 Benefit Concert
John Rich is set to host ThanksUSA's 2011 Benefit Concert at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., on November 14, 2011.

Also performing at this year's festivities are fiddler Andy Leftwich, and Texas and Nashville singer-songwriters Lucas Hoge, Leslie Satcher and Monty Holmes. NBC4 Washington's Jim Handly will serve as the concert's master of ceremonies.

This year's Benefit Concert in the nation's capital will honor the love, sacrifice and need of military families in the U.S., which has inspired ThanksUSA's core mission and commitments over the past six years. more on this story



Lost Star Matthew Fox Fires Back At Accuser
(TMZ) Matthew Fox is striking back in court, claiming the woman who accused him of punching her in her private parts is a blatant liar.

Fox is countersuing Heather Bormann, who filed her own lawsuit in September, claiming a drunken Fox tried to board a party bus she was driving in Cleveland, Ohio. Bormann alleged Fox attacked her after she ordered him to stay off the bus. That's when Bormann claims Fox struck her in the breast, arm, leg and, of course, [below the belt].

Fox alleges in his countersuit ... she's just lying, and in reality he didn't provoke her but she's the one who physically attacked him.

Fox claims he's lost work because TMZ and other media outlets have reported her lawsuit, and she has subjected him to "public hatred, contempt, ridicule and shame."

Fox is suing for unspecified damages. more on this story



Career Spanning Neil Diamond Collection Coming Next Month
Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings have set a December 6th release date for The Very Best of Neil Diamond - The Original Studio Recordings.

They sent over these details including a details tracklisting: The new definitive single disc compilation of 23 best-loved hits and signature tracks from America's quintessential singer-songwriter is the first Neil Diamond collection to draw from the artist's complete studio discography.

The Very Best of Neil Diamond - The Original Studio Records includes his first pop chartings as a writer/performer for Bang Records in the mid-1960s; his spectacular career-defining hits for Uni/MCA (1968-1972); music from 1980's The Jazz Singer (his 5x platinum-selling soundtrack album on Capitol Records) and studio essentials from a long-running association with Columbia Records that began in 1973 with the Jonathan Livingston Seagull soundtrack album and runs through a pair of Rick Rubin-produced albums: 12 Songs (2005) and Home Before Dark (which became Neil's first Number 1 album on the Billboard 200 in 2008). more on this story



Lindsay Lohan's Scary Time In Jail
(TMZ) Lindsay Lohan is telling friends that her 4.5 hour stint in the pokey was "scary" ... even though she was never placed with the general population.

We're told Lindsay was alone in her cell during her time in custody at Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, CA.

Sources tell us Lindsay described the jail as "cold" -- saying it's one of the worst places she's ever been in her life.

Lindsay is telling friends the experience was another wake up call ... insisting she's learned from her mistakes and wants to put her problems behind her.

We're told Lindsay didn't eat anything during her stay at Lynwood -- then again, it's not like she had time for a meal. more on this story



Twilight Star and More for CMA Awards
The 45th Annual CMA Awards have announced a slew of her presenters for the event which airs tomorrow night.

The newly announced presenters include ESPN sportscaster and "Good Morning America" correspondent Erin Andrews, actor Josh Dallas (star of ABC's "Once Upon a Time"), 2011 World Series MVP and St. Louis Cardinals third baseman David Freese, actress Ginnifer Goodwin (star of ABC's "Once Upon a Time"), actor Kellan Lutz (star of the "Twilight" movie series and the upcoming "Immortals"), Emmy Award-winning actor Eric Stonestreet (star of ABC's "Modern Family"), actress Emily VanCamp (star of ABC's "Revenge"), and Academy Award-winning actress Reese Witherspoon.

"The 45th Annual CMA Awards," hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, airs live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Wednesday, Nov. 9 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network. more on this story



Il Volo's Christmas Favorites Coming This Month
Il Volo are giving their fans an early Christmas present with the November 21st release of Il Volo - Christmas Favorites.

The five song digital EP includes "Silent Night" and the German version "Stille Nacht," "Panis Angelicus," "The Christmas Song" featuring Pia Toscano (of American Idol fame) and a medley of classic Christmas songs including "Jingle Bell Rock," "Let It Snow" and "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year."

Additionally, the physical EP Il Volo – Christmas Favorites will be available on Amazon.com via CreateSpace's Disc on Demand platform. Amazon.com will also offer an exclusive re-pack of Il Volo's self-titled 12 track Geffen Records debut, which was released earlier this year and debuted at #10 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, plus the five song Christmas EP– also available via CreateSpace Disc on Demand. The repack is titled Il Volo – Special Christmas Edition.

Today's Day in Rock

Avril Lavigne in Bar Brawl
(superLOUD) Avril Lavigne and her boyfriend Brody Jenner were reportedly in a bar brawl over the weekend with undisclosed others. Apparently the fight landed Brody in the hospital and left Avril with a black eye and bloody nose.

According to Avril's twitter, their night started innocently enough on Sunday, with Avril re-tweeting Brody's message of "Having the best night with the love of my life @AvrilLavigne so happy right now!! .. #Movember CRUSH!! haha."

Avril's next tweets were the polar opposite: "I don't fight. I don't believe in it. To clear things up I got attacked by 5 people last night out of nowhere. Not cool. My face is f*cked... As in black eye, bloody nose, hair ripped out, scratches, bruises and cuts. So not ok to be abusive to others. Violence is NEVER the answer." Meanwhile, Brody's latest tweet



Jimmy Page and Robert Plant In The Studio This Weekend
Jimmy Page and Robert Plant are special guests in this weekend's edition of the syndicated radio show In The Studio which will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Led Zeppelin IV.

In a matter of four short years, Led Zeppelin had delivered four groundbreaking albums each destined to top the other. Widely considered a hard rock, heavy metal band by many, Zeppelin would astonish everyone by creating one of hard rock's first epic ballads, the most played record in rock radio history, "Stairway To Heaven". Jimmy Page shares with host Redbeard the reaction the song got, even before Zeppelin had released it. "We were out touring and that album (Zep IV) hadn't come out and we played "Stairway" in the Forum (Los Angeles) and we got a standing ovation."

Jimmy Page and Robert Plant reveal In The Studio why Led Zeppelin IV is the third-highest seller in music history . "When we started the band...I wanted to make music that people would respect; your fellow musicians, like Jeff (Beck) and Eric (Clapton) and people like that ," remarks Page. Robert Plant remembers, "We did whatever we wanted to do and said, 'look, for us we have to just weave around wherever it was most appropriate, with amplifiers, without, doesn't matter, in the desert, on top a Welsh mountain wherever it was…' which could be indicative and could show what we were all about." more on this story



Creed To Play First Two Albums At Special Shows
Creed will be performing their two most popular albums live at special intimate two-night events in Chicago, New York and Philadelphia next Spring.

Scott Stapp announced on VH1 Big Morning Buzz Live that will be playing their multi-platinum albums My Own Prison and Human Clay in their entirety during the events.

The band will perform one album on each night of the special engagement along with hits from their albums Weathered and Full Circle. "My Own Prison and Human Clay are very special albums for us and I look forward to performing them for our fans. The songs bring back a lot of great memories for me and I hope for them too," said front man Scott Stapp. more on this story



Original Black Sabbath Lineup Jammed At Ozzy's House
(hennemusic) We'll know what's up with the Black Sabbath reunion this Friday, when the original lineup holds a press conference at the Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood – 41 years to the day that they played their first US show at the venue..

As 11:11 AM on 11/11/11 draws nearer, more news about the reunited original lineup is coming out. While promoting his new book, "Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven And Hell With Black Sabbath," guitarist Tony Iommi tells Billboard that the group reconvened earlier this year at Ozzy Osbourne's home in California "for a bit of fun, and to see if we could all play. It was good, but it was just purely, 'Let's have a go and see what happens.'" Iommi says the group plans to get together again "very soon...to discuss things and see what's going to happen and see what we're going to do. It's all in the air at the moment, but it'd be nice to think we can actually do something."

Tony says he'd like to see the lineup make its first new album together since 1978's "Never Say Die," save for two songs it added to the 1998 live album "Reunion." more on this story



Korn and Faith No More Supergroup Fear and the Nervous System Release Debut
(Gibson) The self-titled debut album by Fear and the Nervous System, the new band featuring Korn's James "Munky" Shaffer and Faith No More bass player Billy Gould, is out now.

The band is rounded out with drummer Brooks Wackerman (Bad Religion), guitarist Leopold Ross, keyboard player Zac Baird (Korn) and singer Steve Krolikowski.

"It started with the passing of my father," Shaffer said in a press release. "Death is one of the hardest things that people have to deal with. I didn't really understand what I was doing to block accepting the process of my dad's health deteriorating. I was in a really manic state of mind. I had a lot of emotions and energy, and I needed to get them out and record them. The only way I know how to express myself is through music." more on this story



Les Paul Inducted Into The Music City Walk of Fame
(Gibson) Guitar great Les Paul was inducted into the Music City Walk of Fame in Nashville on Sunday. Les Paul was among a group of music industry notables honored with a star on the sidewalk in Nashville's Music Mile at Walk of Fame Park.

Hundreds turned up to watch the ceremony that was kicked off by Nashville Mayor Karl Dean. Those inducted alongside Les Paul were Manuel Cuevas, Alan Jackson, Dan Miller, Bobby Jones, Dottie Rambo and Kix Brooks. Gibson Chairman and CEO Henry Juszkiewicz said he was honored to induct Les Paul. He said it was fitting that Les Paul, "who changed the world with his exploration of guitar and his love of people and performance" should be honored in Nashville.

"Les actually got his start, in a way, at the Ryman Auditorium," Juszkiewicz said, referencing the famous Nashville venue and former home of the Grand Ole Opry. One day when Les way a young, guitar-obsessed boy, his mother, "packed him in the car and drove him to the Ryman Auditorium and stood at the side of the stage and implored every star that walked up on the stage to give Les a moment of time on the stage. Finally someone relented and Les made his first public performance at the Ryman." more on this story



Metallica White Album A Halloween Treat For Die Hard Fan
A die hard Metallica fan got a sweet Halloween tweet by winning an eBay big for an ultra rare white vinyl pressing of Metallica's Black Album.

Ultimate Classic Reports: This very rare copy was one of 50 produced and released in March 2010 by Warner Bros. Records.

The interest in this rarity was high, with the 36th bidder earning the title "winner" and closing out at the final mega price of $1,145.00. more on this story



Steven Tyler Becomes A Cabbage Patch Kid
(Gibson) Could it be this holiday season's Tickle Me Elmo? Aerosmith frontman and American Idol judge Steven Tyler has been recreated as a Cabbage Patch doll, according to Ultimate Classic Rock.

The rock legend is one of five celebrities who have approved their likenesses for the Cabbage Patch Kids – each a one-of-a-kind doll. (The Tyler doll is in the middle in the picture.) The dolls – which also depict weatherman Al Roker, actress Katherine Heigl, actress Raven Symone and singer-actress Kristin Chenoweth – will be auctioned off on eBay between November 7 and 17 to benefit Children's Action Network. The adoption awareness organization locates homes for children who are in foster care in the U.S.

In regards to the Tyler creation, it gives a whole new meaning to the Aerosmith song "Rag Doll." more on this story



Dokken, Ratt and Stray Cats Members Help Sin City Sinners Rock Christmas
Sin City Sinners have recruited some of their rock star friends to appear on their third CD "A Sinners Christmas," which will be released on November 25th.

The CD includes guest appearances by George Lynch, Ron Keel, Slim Jim Phantom (The Stray Cats) Jizzy Pearl (RATT, Love/Hate) Pete Loran (Trixter) Louie Merlino (Beggars & Thieves) Frank Dimino (Angel) & Sammy Serious (The Zeros)

A portion of the sales from "A Sinners Christmas" will be donated to the Toys for Tots Las Vegas chapter, who help to make sure less fortunate children have toys for Christmas. The band will celebrate the release on Nov 25th with a Las Vegas party & toy drive at Club Madrid (inside Sunset Station Casino) Admission is FREE, but The Sinners encourage everyone who is able to bring a new unwrapped toy to be collected by the Marines for Toys For Tots. more on this story



The Hold Steady Frontman Going Solo
The Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn has set a January 24 release date for his debut solo album, 'Clear Heart Full Eyes,' on Vagrant Records.

Earlier this year, Finn challenged himself to write a new song every day in his Brooklyn apartment. "I had written a bunch of songs that were outside of the norm for The Hold Steady, a little quieter and perhaps more narrative," says Finn. "I wanted to gain some experience and insight into the process of making a record by working with new people."

Finn travelled to Austin, Texas in July, removing himself from all familiar surroundings to record the album with producer Mike McCarthy (Spoon, Trail of Dead). Of the album's title, Finn says, "It's a juxtaposed reference to 'Friday Night Lights,' a TV show that excited and moved me and also happened in Texas. Further, 'Clear Heart' signifies honesty and transparency, and 'Full Eyes' suggests experience." more on this story



Nonpoint Lose Two Members
(Banana 101.5) It's been a crazy November for Nonpoint: they recently inked a record deal, announced a new album for Spring 2012, and reported the departure of their guitarist and bassist, and all within 4 days.

Perhaps he spoke too soon about the band's happiness, especially the "We" part. The ink wasn't even dry on their contracts when it was announced that guitarist Zach Broderick and founding bassist Ken MacMillan were no longer in the band, leaving only Soriano and drummer Robb Rivera. Broderick and MacMillan are said to be involved with a new project which they will announce soon.

Now Blabbermouth reports that Nonpoint have drafted members of the Chicago hard rock outfit Inn Cinema to fill the gaps in their roster — they are rumored to have been joined by guitarists Rasheed Thomas and Dave Lizzio as well as bassist Adam Woloszyn. New members or no, the band has decided to cancel their upcoming tour dates. While news of the member changes are new to the press, a statement on Nonpoint's Facebook page indicate that they may have been gone for a while... more on this story



Rise Against North American Tour Coming
Rise Against announce the first leg of their 2012 tour which will feature support from A Day to Remember and The Menzingers.

The tour kicks off January 17th at the Austin Music Hall in Austin, TX and will wrap up on February 5th at Patriot Center inFairfax, VA.

Glassjaw will be joining the bill for the February 3rd show in Uniondale, NY. more on this story



Pure Reason Revolution Farewell Tour and EP
(Freeman) Pure Reason Revolution have announced the details of their farewell tour which takes place later this month.

On this tour PRR will play a 2 hour set in two parts. The first part of the show will comprise of songs from "Amor Vincit Omnia" & "Hammer & Anvil". The second part will see "The Dark Third" performed in its entirety, for the first time.

The band will also release an EP entitled "Valour" for a limited time only, which will include a new, exclusive track called "Tempest". more on this story



Axl, Slash, AC/DC's Brian Johnson, Dave Mustaine for That Metal Show
This season of That Metal Show is set to feature guest appearances by Axl Rose and Dj Ashba of Guns N' Roses, Slash, AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson, Megadeth's Dave Mustaine, Paul Rodgers, Tracii Guns, Godsmack's Sully Erna and more. VH1 Classic sent over these details about the season and it's big kick off episode:

Season nine of "That Metal Show" kicks off on National Metal Day (11-11-11) with an exclusive interview with Guns N' Roses lead singer and original member, Axl Rose and lead guitarist Dj Ashba.

In his first television interview in over a decade, Rose opens up about his new band mates, touring, rumors, misconceptions and much more. The premiere episode of "That Metal Show" with Axl Rose airs Friday, November 11 at 11 PM ET/PT on VH1 Classic. more on this story



God Bless Ozzy Osbourne Comes Home
(Gibson) God Bless Ozzy Osbourne, the documentary which tells the life story of Ozzy Osbourne through the eyes of his son Jack, will be released on DVD and Blu-ray next week.

The documentary was shot over a period of three years by Jack Osbourne with directors Mike Fleiss and Mike Piscitelli. Ozzy recounts his troubled youth, his early career with Black Sabbath, and the story of how fame and addiction ruined his first marriage. Ozzy also talks about the second chapter of his life with Sharon, his attempts to stay clean, and the sobriety he has maintained for the past five years. The documentary also includes musical performances from around the world.

The DVD and Blu-ray release features additional footage not seen in the theatrical release including new interviews, classic archive footage of Black Sabbath, and a question and answer session with Ozzy and Jack Osbourne at the Tribeca Film Festival, where the film premiered in April 2011. more on this story



Sebastian Bach Confirms Guns N' Roses Tour Dates
(hennemusic) It's been rumored for a few weeks, and now it is reality: Sebastian Bach has announced that he'll be joining Guns N' Roses for three shows on their current North American tour.

In support of his latest solo effort, "Kicking & Screaming," Bach will open three GNR shows this month in the US Northeast.

It's likely no coincidence, but Bach and his band will be in fighting shape for the GNR dates after they play a series of club shows, starting this week; by the time Bach hits the arena circuit, he'll be rarin' to go. more on this story



Rush Lead This Week's Top Rock Releases
(hennemusic) It's a big week for Rush fans as the band finally issues two special projects from their 2010/2011 tour.

"Rush - Time Machine 2011: Live In Cleveland" is released in both audio and video formats, while a portion of the full concert - "Moving Pictures: Live 2011" – also hits stores.

There's lots of goodies to choose from for your holiday shopping and/or wish lists, including material from The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple and Noel Gallagher…and that's just for starters. more on this story



David Beckham Helped Reunite The Stone Roses
(Gibson) Soccer great David Beckham, who played for Manchester United during his glory years in the 1990s, played a significant role in the Stone Roses recent reunion.

According to the Sun newspaper, Beckham tried to persuade reluctant bass player Gary "Mani" Mounfield last year in America. Then, in May, while in Manchester for ex-team-mate Gary Neville's testimonial match, Beckham targeted singer Ian Brown with his request. The Sun quotes a source who says: "David has always been a huge Stone Roses fan. You've got to remember he was a young lad in Manchester when The Roses were a big deal. It was impossible to live there without being into the band.

"Ian and Mani are Reds through and through so they all knew each other a bit back in the day. David heard there was a chance the ice was thawing between Ian and guitarist John Squire and he got involved.

"He told Mani in no uncertain terms he simply had to get the band back together. He said he would be willing to ring all the boys and beg them to crack on. And when he saw Ian at Old Trafford a month later, he really laid it on thick and said that he would be willing to do anything to make it happen." more on this story



Morrissey Late Night TV
Morrissey will be promoting his North American tour with two late night TV appearances later this month.

On Wednesday, November 23 he will stop by ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live and he will also appear on TBS' Conan on Tuesday the 29th.

The tour begins November 10 in Chicago and concludes December 13 in Guadalajara, Mexico. He will be performing songs from throughout his unparalleled catalog including new unreleased tracks. more on this story



Vince Neil To Headline Rock 'N' Roll Marathon
(hennemusic) After playing San Antonio with Motley Crue this summer, Vince Neil returns to San Antonio this weekend to headline the San Antonio Rock 'N' Roll Marathon and Half-Marathon.

Neil hits the stage on Sunday from 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. at the finish line at the Alamodome; the concert is free and open to the public.

Vince's solo band lineup remains the same as it's been for a number of years: guitarist Jeff Blando, bassist Dana Strum (ex-Slaughter) and drummer Zoltan. more on this story



Rush Guitarist Alex Lifeson For Andy Kim Christmas Show
(hennemusic) Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson will be one of the featured musicians at the 7th annual Andy Kim Christmas Show in Toronto next month.

The event happens Wednesday, December 14 at the Phoenix Concert Theatre.

Lifeson joins the list of first performers confirmed for the benefit, including Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning from Broken Social Scene, members of Finger Eleven and Ron Sexsmith.

Montreal-born Kim has sold more than 33 million albums and is the man behind such massive hits as "Sugar Sugar" (The Archies) and "Rock Me Gently." more on this story



Gwar To Continue North American Tour
(Rock News Desk) Gwar frontman Dave Brockie says the band will continue their North American tour despite the death of Cory Smoot, because the guitarist would have wanted it that way.

The science-fiction monster metallers found Smoot, also known as Flattus Maximus, dead on their tour bus on the journey between Minneapolis and Canada. But they played on – and Brockie, alias Oderus Urungus, says they'll continue to do so.

He tells fans: "After a lot of consideration, we have decided to carry on with the tour. Although the great temptation would be to return home, curl into a foetal position and mourn, we can't do that. First off, Cory wouldn't want that. He would want us to go on and would be pissed if we didn't. Plus we know the fans don't want us to quit. They are going to want a chance to come to grips with their loss, and there is no better place to do that than at a Gwar show. Though it's hard to believe, I think we all would feel a lot worse if we stopped. For better or worse we have to see this through." more on this story



Gene Simmons Honored To Host Classic Rock Roll Of Honour
(hennemusic) The Classic Rock Roll Of Honour awards happen tomorrow Wednesday, November 9 at The Roundhouse in London.

In its seven-year history it has attracted and honoured some of the greatest musicians the world has ever seen, and 2011 will be no different. Receiving the coveted Living Legend Award is one of the most influential and respected guitarists of all time, Jeff Beck.

And the host for the evening will be KISS bassist Gene Simmons. "I have the distinct honour and privilege of being the host of the Classic Rock Roll Of Honour," said Simmons. "On that momentous occasion, the planets will align, living legends will gather to honour their own and London will become the centre of the rock & roll universe. It's one thing being a voracious and loyal reader of Classic Rock, but it's another to be in the same room as the people who have inspired me to stop flipping burgers and jump up on stage and have a go at it myself. An honour and privilege, indeed. Be there. Or, be square." more on this story



Ghost To Launch 13 Dates of Doom For North America
Ghost will launch their first ever North American headlining tour in January, 2012.

GHOST will be joined by Blood Ceremony and Ancient Vvisdom for the two week trek dubbed the "13 Dates of Doom" tour.

The tour kicks off on January 18 in New York City with GHOST touring in support of their debut album Opus Eponymous. more on this story



Behold! The Monolith Set New Album Release
Behold! The Monolith will release their new album Defender, Redeemist, on January 23, 2012.

The band have just completed work on the album which was recorded and Engineered by the legendary Billy Anderson (High on Fire, Sleep, Neurosis) at North Hollywood's Skull 7 Studios.

"We definitely went in a "less stoner, more metal" direction on this record," said Behold! The Monolith guitarist Matt Price. "There's some faster stuff and some definite classic metal hat-tipping going on. It also has some of our most wretched sludgy / doom-y riffs yet. We know every band says this, but we feel it's a step up for us on every level...but our fans will have to be the ultimate judge of that." more on this story



In Flames, Trivium, Veil Of Maya and Kyng Tour
In Flames a headlining North American tour in the new year that will feature support from Trivium, Veil Of Maya and Kyng.

Lasting for a little over a month, the tour kicks off January 12th in Milwaukee, WI and will wrap back around to complete on February 21st in Chicago, IL. A full list of dates can be seen below.

In Flames comments, "In Flames strikes back!!! After a nice but curtailed summer mayhem, we will return to American soil with full force. Expect riffs, sweat and beers so tasty that you're ready to give up everything and move to Gothenburg. Just to have another fix..." more on this story



Jolly's North American Tour Kicks Off Next Week
Jolly have announced a North American tour which kicks off November 14th in Wilmington, DE and running through December 3rd with a final show in Albany, New York.

"We're excited to bring the Jolly experience home to our American fanbase. Audiences will be blown away. Jolly loves you," says the band.

Jolly will be touring in support of their new album, "The Audio Guide To Happiness (Part 1)." more on this story



Singled Out: MicLordz and Sauce Funky's My World
Today MicLordz and Sauce Funky frontman Dayun 'Boots' Marjanovic tells us about the title track from their brand new EP "My World". Here is the story:

We were sitting at one of our jam spaces and Matte and Roge´ were playing around with some chord progressions. AlerG and I were quietly listening and when we heard the first notes of the riff we stopped and were like "yo play that again!!"

We started getting into the verse of the instrumental and Roge´ filled in the gaps with a great moving baseline. We were all digging the groove and we really wanted to simplify the drums. We really focused making the instrumental catchy and simple so the vocals would jump off it.

We put the entire track together and recorded a demo. AlerG and I listened to the track numerous times and put major emphasis on writing a meaningful song. We played around with some different verses, but couldn't get the hook.

One day shortly after that, my parents were asking me the famous question "how long are you gonna do music for? when are you gonna get a real job?" I was so upset and usually when I'm get pissed off I write my best. I listened to the demo over and over... came up with a melody for the chorus and the bridge. I had the first couple words "This is my life, This is my dream..." and was humming the rest.

The next day I raced over to the jam space and Mike was sitting outside. I sang the hook to him and he began writing. He filled in the pieces that I didn't have with some very meaningful lyrics, especially the last words said in the song "you will remember my name." After the hook was finished it was easy to write our verses.

In SLR Studios in Windsor Ontario Canada, where we record, the producer Martin Bak did some magic. He changed some of the structure of the song and wanted to put more emphasis on the melody and the hook instead of the verses so he cut some some of them out. We all came to consensus on the changes and did some different mixes until we found the right one.

The verses, song structure and hook of my world are something that comes right from our hearts to the listeners ears and I think when people hear it they can feel it and relate to it. We hope from "My World" that people will remember our name.

B-Sides

Today's Stories


Preview In-depth Axl Rose Interview Online
(hennemusic) VH1's That Metal Show did an interview with Axl Rose after Guns N' Roses' October 29 show in Miami, for an upcoming special broadcast on the station's "National Metal Day" blitz on 11-11-11.

TMS host Eddie Trunk offered up some discussion and a mini-preview of that session on his New York radio show Friday night, chatting with his TV co-host Jim Florentine. The two say Axl was in great spirits, speaking openly about anything the guys wanted to ask.

In the first clip, Trunk praises Axl's Miami performance, marveling at the vocal stamina required to pull off a 3-hour show, night-in and night-out. "I had a good night," replied Rose. "It's not an anomaly, but I did have a good night, and I have been taking care of my voice. I do warm-ups before the show, I do warm-downs after the show, I do those religiously." A lot more here



Metallica and Lou Reed Album Bombs
(Rock News Desk) First-week sales of Metallica's collaboration album with Lou Reed are set to be just three percent of what their previous record, Death Magnetic, achieved.

Lulu is estimated to have shifted between 12,000 and 15,000 copies since it went on sale in the US on November 1.

But in 2008 Death Magnetic sold 490,000 in its first week, even though the time period was just three days because it was put out on a Friday. more on this story



Lindsay Lohan Only Spends A Few Hours in Jail
(TMZ) Lindsay Lohan has been released from jail -- a mere 4.5 hours after she checked in.

As we first reported, Lindsay checked into the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, CA last night at 8:48PM PST to begin serving her 30-day jail sentence.

She was released at approximately 1:30AM Monday morning. Tough life. more on this story



Queen and Adam Lambert Rock MTV EMAs
(hennemusic) The 2011 MTV Europe Music Awards wrapped up Sunday night in style, as rock legends Queen were presented with the Global Icon Award.

The honor was presented to Brian May and Roger Taylor by Katy Perry, before Queen took to the stage with Adam Lambert to perform a medley of some of their hits.

"When I was growing up there was no MTV in my house," said Perry. "But then one day, a friend of mine played me Queen – it opened my eyes, unlocked my heart, blew my mind. I knew exactly what I wanted to do and I knew who I was. I am only standing here because of the brilliance, and drama of Queen."

The guys performed "The Show Must Go On," "We Will Rock You" and "We Are The Champions." Check it out



Pete Townshend Gives Jools Another Number
(hennemusic) More video of Pete Townshend's appearance this week on the BBC's Later with Jools Holland has surfaced.

On Tuesday's broadcast, The Who guitarist was featured doing an acoustic take on "I'm One," from the band's 1973 classic, "Quadrophenia"; that album is being reissued in various formats (including a "Director's Cut" box set) on November 14th (UK) and November 15th (US).

Friday night's extended version of Jools' show added more Townshend, as he sat down with the host for a chat and a version of "Drowned," a second live performance from Tuesday's taping, was featured.

When asked about the ongoing relevancy of Quadrophenia, forty years after its release, Pete said, "I think it's become a bit of a universal story; every teenage boy goes through this stuff." Check out the video here



Watch Chickenfoot Rock Kimmel
(hennemusic) Chickenfoot completely rocked Jimmy Kimmel's show Thursday night with a couple of high-energy performances.

The band played "Three And A Half Letters," its current single from "Chickenfoot III," as well as the first single, "Big Foot."

This week, Chickenfoot are playing the first leg of its 2011 Road Test tour, doing a week of shows across select US cities; the 5-date trip started Tuesday at the Warfield in San Francisco, and winds its way to New York by next week. Check out video of the appearance here



Watch James Durbin Unplugged
(hennemusic) The promo machine for the James Durbin debut, "Memories Of A Beautiful Disaster," is cranking up as the project nears its November 21st release date.

James is now starting to appear up on different shows as his media interviews and performances kick into gear.

Last week he stopped by FOX News and did a live, acoustic version of his new Top40-aimed single, "Love Me Bad." more on this story



Win A Led Zeppelin Box Set
We normally do not feature or promote contests but one of our news partners, Ultimate Classic Rock have a killer contest running that should be of interest to Led Zeppelin fans:

In honor of the 40th anniversary of the release of Led Zeppelin's fourth album (Nov. 8), Rhino and Ultimate Classic Rock are giving you the chance to win their complete discography in the form of the Definitive Collection Mini LP Replica CD box set.

This impressively packaged box set features all nine of Zeppelin's studio albums, as well as their live set 'The Song Remains the Same,' with CD-sized artwork replicating the look and function of each record. Read more and enter here



See Selena Gomez's MTV EMA Performance
(popmusiclife) Selena Gomez was doing double-duty at the 2011 MTV Europe Music Awards Sunday night in Belfast. Not only did Selena host, but she performed, as well.

More than 8,000 fans watched the drama unfold at Belfast's Odyssey Arena, as the world's biggest artists delivered live performances including Justin Bieber, David Guetta, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Coldplay, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jessie J, LMFAO, Snow Patrol and Queen.

Check out footage of Selena & The Scene doing "Hit The Lights" from her latest album, "When The Sun Goes Down" here.



Sebastian Bach Talks Favorites
(hennemusic) Sebastian Bach chatted recently with radio station WDHA in New Jersey as part of the station's "Box Of Rock" webisode series.

While plugging his new album, "Kicking & Screaming," Bach spoke with host Terrie Carr about his favorite singers and new bands.

While Bach's answers on his favorite singers may surprise some fans, his taste in new bands likely won't, especially since he's wearing a Black Veil Brides shirt during the session. Check it out



Def Leppard Osaka Soundcheck Footage Online
(hennemusic) Last week, Def Leppard wrapped up a successful run of shows in Australia as part of their current Mirror Ball world tour.

Saturday, the band kicked off the Japanese leg of the tour in Osaka. Footage of the band at soundcheck at the venue has surfaced.

Following the band's December 7 gig in Tokyo, Leppard head home for a series of UK dates through December with Motley Crue and Steel Panther. check out the video here



Johnny Rivers Birthday
(Gibson) On this date in 1942, John Henry Ramistella was born in New York City. When he was five years old, his father lost his job and moved the family to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where little Johnny's uncle got his old man a job painting houses and antiquing furniture. No one realized at the time that this reunion of Ramistella brothers would foster one of the most distinctive musical voices of the 1960s.

When Johnny's dad and uncle got together, the two often played Italian folk songs on guitar and mandolin. Soon, Johnny was asking for lessons — and his own guitar. But Johnny was less interested in music from the old country and more zeroed in on the sounds he would hear on late-night R&B stations. Local musicians like Fats Domino and Jimmy Reed crossed his path as well, leaving a lifelong impression on the scrawny kid from New York.

By junior high school, Johnny had honed his craft and was sitting in with various local bands. And when Elvis Presley stormed the charts in 1956, Johnny added rockabilly to his repertoire. By the age of 14, Johnny released his first single, "Hey Little Girl" (by Johnny and The Spades), on the local Suede label. A year later, Johnny was on holiday at his aunt's home in New York City. Taking advantage of his time in the media capital, he boldly sought out legendary DJ Alan Freed, who arranged an audition for the teenager. The result was a contract with Gone and End Records and a name change. Ramistella wasn't going to cut it with mass America, opined Freed. He suggested, instead, Johnny Rivers, after the Mississippi River that flows through Johnny's home state

Sebastian Bach w/ major tour announcement (GnR?)

Bach has major tour announcement planned for Monday.



According to a fan who attended last nites Sebastian Bach show in New Jersey, Baz himself mentioned something like this while on stage...

"Wouldn't it be great if I toured with Guns & Roses again? Wouldn't that be awesome?.....Stay tuned for details"

Then today, Bach tweeted the following:

sebastianbach Sebastian Bach @
I will be making a MAJOR tour announcement tomorrow morning ! Watch this space !!

Sounds like Bach will be opening the Gn'R tour.

Stay tuned...

Today's Day In Pop

Today's Full Report


Keith Urban To Have Throat Surgery
(Gibson) Keith Urban will undergo throat surgery later this month to remove a polyp from his vocal cords. The out-patient surgery is considered a minor procedure, but the rehabilitation process requires a lengthy period of vocal rest.

The 44-year-old Urban will honor one-song performance commitments until the surgery takes place, but all subsequent scheduled appearances for this year will likely either be cancelled or rescheduled. The dates affected include a pair of Grand Ole Opry shows, originally set for November 12 and 26, and a gig as host for the "All for the Hall" benefit show for the Country Music Hall of Fame, which takes place on January 18.

Urban, who is married to actress Nicole Kidman, is nominated in the categories of Top Male Vocalist and Entertainer of the Year for this year's Academy of Country Music Awards, to be staged later this month. Urban joins KISS frontman Paul Stanley and British singer Adele among vocalists who have recently undergone surgical procedures involving the throat or vocal cords. more on this story



Lindsay Lohan Goes To Jail
(TMZ) Lindsay Lohan was behind bars as of late Sunday night. TMZ reports that Lohan began what is supposed to be a 30 day sentence by may be much shorter.

(TMZ) Lindsay Lohan checked into the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, CA at 8:48PM PST to begin serving her 30 day jail sentence.

As TMZ previously reported, Lindsay is expected to be released within hours of her arrival due to a federal court order on jail overcrowding. more on this story



2011 MTV EMA Recap and Winners List
Lady Gaga was the queen of MTV's annual European awards show the MTV EMA which took place at Belfast's Odyssey Arena on Sunday night, with the pop star taking away four honors. Here is the official recap and winner list:

Lady Gaga triumphed in the Best Female, Best Song and Best Video categories, as well as Biggest Fan - a brand new award that celebrates artists with the most committed fanbase.

Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars and Thirty Seconds To Mars each won two awards with pop phenomenon Bieber taking home the trophies for Best Male and Best Pop. Thirty Seconds To Mars were honoured in the Best Alternative category and Best World Stage, while Bruno Mars crowned a brilliant year with victories in the Best Push and Best New categories. more on this story



Justin Bieber To Reportedly Fight Baby Claim With DNA Test and Lawsuit
(TMZ) Justin Bieber will take a DNA test in two weeks when he returns to the United States to prove he is not Mariah Yeater's baby daddy -- and after that, Justin and his team are going after her in court ... sources directly connected with Justin tell TMZ.

Justin is in Europe now so he can't take the test until he returns ... but he is determined to put an end to what he says is a bogus scandal.

Our sources say Justin's lawyer, Howard Weitzman, contacted Yeater's attorneys Friday and conveyed the DNA test WILL happen. We're told Justin and his team are so serious ... they directed Weitzman to find a lab to do the test and Weitzman has already selected one.

Once the test shows Justin is not the daddy, Justin and his team will sue her. We're told Yeater's lawyers appeared "nervous" when they heard the news. This may explain why Yeater's lawyers went underground yesterday and did not return TMZ's calls.

Sources say Bieber and his team think it's important to file a lawsuit against Yeater to show there are consequences when somebody trumps up phony, hurtful allegations against a celebrity. more on this story



Adam Lambert Wasn't Eligible For American Idol?
American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert is facing a lawsuit from a record company he reportedly had a deal with prior to appearing on Idol. Such a deal would have reportedly disqualified him to participate in the show.

According to Billboard, Colwel Platinum Entertainment has been marketing an album called "Beg For Mercy," which features recordings Lambert made prior to participating in Idol.

Lambert's camp reportedly sent a takedown notice to Amazon.com and successfully had the album removed from the site and the company has now filed a lawsuit. You can read all of the details here.



Katy Perry Teases The One That Got Away
(popmusiclife) Katy Perry is offering up a preview of her new video, "The One That Got Away."

The video, directed by Floria Sigismondi, will premiere on 11/11/11 when Katy makes an appearance on The Ellen Degeneres Show.

Perry snagged Mexican movie star Diego Luna to play the male lead in the vid.

"I'm so pleased to select 'The One That Got Away' as my sixth single because this song shows a very different side of me that I haven't shown with my past singles on this record. I think that everyone can relate to this song," Perry says about the ballad from her massive "Teenage Dream" album. "I wrote this song about when you promise someone forever, but you end up not being able to follow through. It's a bittersweet story — hopefully, the listener learns from hearing it and never has to say they had 'The One' get away." Check out the preview here



Rihanna Talk That Talk Track Details
(popmusiclife) Rihanna's new album, "Talk That Talk," is due November 21. "We Found Love," the first single from the upcoming release, is currently #1 on the Billboard charts, making the anticipation for the full album a huge deal for fans.

The pop superstar revealed the album's song list on her Facebook page (see photo), although the list is not in sequence.

Rihanna is keeping a secret about the project, as she tweeted that there is "one feature on the album. And we got the best." Check out the song list here



Lady Gaga TV Special For Thanksgiving
(popmusiclife) Now you can spend Thanksgiving with Lady Gaga. ABC has announced "A Very Gaga Thanksgiving," as the singer offers up 8 performances in front of a small crowd by the singer and a sit-down interview.

The 90-minute special, conceived and directed by Lady Gaga, will also feature appearances by Tony Bennett and chef Art Smith.

Lady Gaga will perform a duet with Bennett ("The Lady Is a Tramp") and a slew of her songs, including "Marry the Night," "You and I" and "The Edge of Glory"; she will also sing holiday songs like "White Christmas." more on this story



Amy Winehouse New Album Details For Lioness: Hidden Treasures
We told you last week that Amy Winehouse's posthumous album, Lioness: Hidden Treasures, was set to be released next month. Universal Republic sent over a lot more details about the releasing, include a details track by track:

Following her tragic passing on July 23, 2011, some of the producers and musicians who worked closely with 5x Grammy Award winning artist Amy Winehouse, among them Salaam Remi and Mark Ronson, spent time listening over the many recordings that Amy had made, before, during, and after the release of albums Frank and Back To Black.

It was said by all who worked with Amy that she never sang or played a song the same way twice. It quickly became apparent to both Salaam and Mark that they had a collection of songs that deserved to be heard, a collection of songs that were a fitting testament to Amy the artist and, as importantly, Amy their friend. more on this story



Dan Deacon Working On New Album
Domino Recording has inked a world wide deal with Dan Deacon, who is currently working on his debut release for the label, a full-length album due sometime in 2012.

Dan Deacon has spent the past year performing in more non-traditional settings and arrangements, often collaborating with pals So Percussion and other musicians. He was also invited by Francis Ford Coppola to score his latest film, Twixt. This year also saw the re-release of Deacon's entire catalog in different formats by Carpark Records.

Dan Deacon has also announced tour dates spanning three continents between now and Feb. 2012, with a mixture of solo shows and shows with the Dan Deacon Ensemble. Dan Deacon Ensemble currently consists of: Denny Bowen, drums (Double Dagger) Dave Jacober, drums/mallets (Dope Body) Chester Gwazda, synths/computers (Nuclear Power Pants) Jordan Casey, synths (Zomes). more on this story



Beyonce and Jay-Z Having A Girl?
(popmusiclife) Beyonce and Jay-Z are expecting a baby girl. That news comes from former Destiny's Child singer, and Beyonce pal, Kelly Rowland, who revealed the baby's sex at the Cosmopolitan Ultimate Women of the Year Awards 2011 in London.

Rowland let the word out to Bang Showbiz, via MissInfo.tv, at the event, where she picked up the "Ultimate TV Personality" prize for her work on UK's X-Factor.

"I'm so happy for my sister and her husband," said Kelly. "They're so happy in this moment right now, as they should be. They've made a little bundle of love, I'm so excited for them. I have no idea what I'm going to buy Beyonce at the baby shower because Jay is going to buy that little girl every single thing possible. She won't be spoilt but she will be very well looked-after," adding "I'll be on hand for babysitting duties and I'm actually very good with messy diapers!" more on this story



Florence + The Machine Topple Coldplay
(popmusiclife) Florence + The Machine have done it again: they've scored their second #1 album on the UK charts.

On the Official Albums Chart, 25-year-old Florence Welch and her band's second album, "Ceremonials," debuts in top spot with sales of over 90,000 in its first week.

Florence and company knock Coldplay out of the #1 position, dropping them to second place. more on this story



Duran Duran To Premiere Short Film This Week
Duran Duran will debut a nine-minute short film, for the song "Girl Panic" on November 8th. The track comes from their latest album All You Need Is Now.

Directed by award-winning Jonas Åkerlund, this dazzling new video reunites five of the world's top supermodels: Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Eva Herzigova, Helena Christensen and Yasmin Le Bon with the members of Duran Duran in a short film, that was shot in London, in and around The Savoy, over two days earlier this summer.

Made in association with Swarovski Elements, this stunning video showcases the acting and performance skills of the five 'supers' as they take on the roles of the members of the band, in a day-in-the-life-of expose, that has every ounce of trademark Duran Duran humour and glamour - topping any video they've ever made and making this the most talked-about music and fashion collaboration of the year. more on this story



Shelby Lynne Added To Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Shelby Lynne is set to appear in the live broadcast of the 85th Anniversary Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade from New York City.

Riding on the Marion-Carole "Showboat" float, the Grammy winner will perform "Ain't Nothin' Like Christmas," an original song from her first-ever holiday album, Merry Christmas.

This year's parade, which also features such artists as Rodney Atkins, Mary J. Blige, Cobra Starship and Cee Lo Green, will air nationwide on NBC-TV on Thursday, November 24th, from 9:00 a.m.- noon in all time zones. more on this story



Hatsune Miku Event in The US This Week
Live Viewing Japan will stage a very special one-night-only Hatsune Miku event simultaneously in nine major U.S. cities on Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 7:00pm (local time).

Hatsune Miku Live Party 2011 39's LIVE in SAPPORO (originally organized by 5bp Inc. in August, 2011) will screen a live concert performance of Hatsune Miku in movie theaters in select markets.

"We're very excited to present this unique Hatsune Miku experience for her U.S. fans," says LVJ Executive Director, Mr. Hiroki Kotani. "Miku has captivated a global audience with a mix of catchy pop music and captivating technology-inspired visuals. Her popularity has opened an entirely new range of possibilities to blend a cute pop idol persona with technology and computer-created graphics. We invite fans to visit the Live Viewing Japan web link for more information and for specific movie theater event locations. Don't miss this rare opportunity to see Hatsune Miku perform!" more on this story



Kim Kardashian To Pay Kris Humphries For Engagement Ring?
(TMZ) Kim Kardashian is going to shell out some serious dough so she can keep her MASSIVE engagement ring ... and TMZ has learned, the cash is all going to Kris Humphries.

Sources close to the former couple tell us ... it was Kris who originally bought the 20.5 carat diamond stunner ... and Kim loved the ring so much, she included a clause in the pre-nup which allows her buy the ring from Kris for the original purchase price in the case of a divorce.

Since the couple is now kaput -- the diamond is in Kim's court. We're told KK still LOVES the ring -- and will pay Kris so she can keep it.

As far as price goes -- Kim never disclosed how much Kris plunked down, but according to multiple reports, it's valued around $2 mil.

Today's Day in Rock

Black Sabbath Reunion On Metal Day
(Gibson) Black Sabbath have organized a press conference for Friday, November 11. All four original members of the band – Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward – will be in attendance at the announcement, to be held at the Whisky A Go-Go in Los Angeles, according to NME.

The date is not an accident. November 11 isn't just "National Metal Day" (11-11-11), it's also an important anniversary for Sabbath. The date marks the legends' first U.S. show, which took place November 11, 1970 at – wait for it – the Whisky A Go-Go.

Henry Rollins will host the event, during which the band members are expected to announce a reunion tour and, possibly, a new album. more on this story



Velvet Revolver To Resume Singer Search
(hennemusic) Velvet Revolver is reconvening next month, according to Slash. While promoting his forthcoming DVD, "Made in Stoke 24/7/11," due November 15 on DVD and Blu-ray, the guitarist also spoke to Billboard about his plans between now and the holidays.

Slash says Velvet Revolver will get together in December to "spend some time with a couple of singers - that's all I can tell you."

The group, on hiatus since frontman Scott Weiland left to rejoin Stone Temple Pilots in 2008, worked early this year with Slipknot/Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor, but that did not pan out, as Slash vetoed his involvement. more on this story



Van Halen To Make Announcement At Grammy Event?
(hennemusic) November 30, 2011, that's when rumor has it that Van Halen will appear at the Grammy Nominations Concert live to make a special announcement.

Two signs indicate VH will update the world on their plans at the event: The first is a mention at the end of this week's press release for the Grammy Nominations broadcast, which says: "a special, live announcement from an iconic group regarding their historic band reunion set to take place on the Grammy stage on February 12, 2012."

Sure, not enough to go on, but combine that info with… The second, a tweet from The Grammy folks (here), which reads: "Who do u predict the reuniting band will be @ #GRAMMYnoms? Does this hint make u wanna 'Jump' & 'Dance the Night Away'?" more on this story



Danzig Outrage at Music Fest?
Glenn Danzig reportedly gave Misfits fans and event organizers anything but a fun fun fun time at the Austin based Fun Fun Fun music festival this weekend.

Danzig was headlining the event with his Danzig Legacy show but the problems began as he arrived, according to the event's booking agent.

The former Misfits frontman reportedly was the focus of drama on and off the stage, which he eventually appeared on late, played an abbreviated set and reportedly encouraged fans to riot. The booking agent for the festival took to the event Facebook to provide a blow by blow of what went down from their perspective. (If we receive a statement from Glenn's camp with his side of things, we will publish that as well.) Read the blow by blow here.



Gwar's Oderus Tributes Late Guitarist Cory Smoot
Gwar frontman Dave Brockie (stage name Oderus Urungus) has issued a formal statement about the sad death of Gwar guitarist Cory Smoot (stage name Flattus Maximus) and the status of Gwar. Here is what he has to say:

After a restless night spent hurtling through the desolate Canadian wilderness, I crawled from my bunk on the tour bus to face reality, grudgingly aware that the the dark dream that gripped us would not fade with the day. We have lost a brother, a husband, a son, and one of the most talented musicians that ever slung an ax. Cory Smoot, longtime lead guitar player for the band GWAR, has passed at the age of 34.

As the singer of GWAR and one of his best friends, I feel it is my duty to try and answer some of the questions that surround his tragic and untimely death. I know the sense of loss and pain is far greater in scope than in the insulated environment of a band on tour, and I will do my best to provide what clarity and comfort I can.

The most glaring question is how? And unfortunately that is the hardest question to answer. The truth will not be known until the medical officials have finished their work. All I can do is relate what we saw with our own eyes. read the rest here



New Stone Temple Pilots Album Coming
(hennemusic) Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland is doing interviews to promote his newly-released Christmas album, "The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year."

The album presents Weiland singing Xmas standards in a variety of styles, including big band swing, orchestrated ballads, reggae, bossa nova and more.

While speaking with Billboard about his latest solo effort, Scott promises that "there is another album coming" to follow 2010's self-titled effort. The group plays three shows in South America this month, then Weiland expects his bandmates to start working on new material. "They usually start before me, just getting some rough ideas together and then putting rough ideas down on ProTools with no lyrics and no melody," he explains. "And then I start listening to it and see if it's just a straight-ahead rock 'n' roll record, or if it's more of a concept album, like (2001's) 'Shangri-La Dee Da' was. Once we decide that, it should go full speed ahead." more on this story



Lou Reed and Metallica Recruit Black Swan Director
(Gibson) Black Swan director Darren Aronofsky is set to direct a music video for a track from Lulu, the new collaborative album by Lou Reed and Metallica. Aronofsky, who also directed the Oscar-nominated film The Wrestler, will make the video for the song "Iced Honey," with scenes to be shot in the San Francisco Bay area.

Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich said that, for him, working with Reed and Aronofsky is "living the dream." "As if making a record with Lou Reed is not enough, now I get to make a video with Darren Aronofsky," Ulrich said, "who has been among my very favorite filmmakers since his first movie, Pi." Perhaps with tongue in cheek, Reed said he hopes the video "can be [Aronofsky's] next Black Swan."

The veteran rocker has called Lulu, which was released on Tuesday, "the best music [he] has ever done." more on this story



Thin Lizzy Name A Permanent Guitarist
(hennemusic) The revolver door on the Thin Lizzy guitar slot has now stopped. For more than forty years, Thin Lizzy has been delivering their brand of rock 'n roll to audiences all over the world. Even with the untimely passing of legendary front man Phil Lynott twenty-five years ago, the band has continued on.

Over the years, many rock luminaries have graced the ranks of Thin Lizzy including the likes of Brian Robertson, Snowy White and the late Gary Moore. Most recently, Def Leppard's resident guitar wizard Vivian Campbell joined the band for their 2011 European tour. When Def Leppard called Vivian back to their camp, Gun's & Roses guitarist Richard Fortus joined the boys on their European festival run this past summer.

Continuing on in the tradition of top-notch performers, the members of Thin Lizzy are proud to announce that veteran guitar player Damon Johnson has joined their ranks as a permanent member. more on this story



Radiohead Star Auctioning Historic Guitar To Help Child With Brain Tumor
(Audio Ink Radio) Ed O'Brien, guitarist for alternative rock outfit Radiohead, has put one of his prized guitars up for auction to benefit charity.

The guitar was used on the recordings of Radiohead's popular Kid A and Amnesiac albums, and 100% of the proceeds from the auction will benefit the Billie Butterfly Fund to help raise funds for four-year-old Billie Bainbridge who has a rare, fatal brain tumor.

The crusade is raising money to treat Bainbridge's tumor with an operation in Texas, since the procedure is not available in the U.K. more on this story



Yes' Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman To Release Live Album This Month
(Glass Onyon) YES legends Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman have set a November 28th release date for 'Anderson / Wakeman - The Living Tree In Concert Part One' .

The CD was recorded during the duo's British tour in 2010 and comes housed in a sleeve design by Mark Wilkinson who was also responsible for the design of the artwork for 'The Living Tree'.

Having worked together on and off since 1971's groundbreaking YES masterwork 'Fragile', Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman have traveled similar musical paths that have eventually and happily led their careers back together again. The duo began performing live together in the UK in 2006 playing both classics from the YES catalogue and selected tracks from the pair's individual solo releases. In 2009 Anderson and Wakeman recorded the highly anticipated album 'The Living Tree' which garnered rave reviews worldwide. In 2010 it was announced that Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman were to tour together once more at the end of the year. The wildly successful tour featured material from their time with YES, but more importantly material from the duo's new CD 'The Living Tree'. A collection of live highlights from the tour were compiled and overseen by Jon and Rick for the upcoming release 'Anderson / Wakeman - The Living Tree In Concert Part One'. more on this story



Slash Cautious About Guns N' Roses Rock Hall Reunion Expectations
(hennemusic) Given the recent Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame nomination for his old band, Guns N' Roses, the subject of a possible induction and – dare anyone say it – reunion, is on a lot of people's minds, so the subject naturally came up during the session.

Slash says he's "honored" by GNRs' nomination "It's become very prestigious over the years, and it's become a huge honor for anybody to be inducted into it -- or even nominated, for that matter," he says. "It's a cool accolade, I suppose. Obviously we're in really, really great company."

Slash says he hasn't spoken with any other GNR members about the nomination, and he's trying not too think too much about how the original quintet - which hasn't played together since 1991 - would handle its induction. "Of course, you have those thoughts of how it might work in case it does happen, but with Guns 'N Roses, there's really no guessing exactly how it will go. I suppose if it happens, everybody will get some sort of ducks in order. But I think the first thing to do is wait and see if we actually get inducted, because you know how unpredictable that is." more on this story



Franz Ferdinand Plot Return
(Audio Ink Radio) Franz Ferdinand are planning a major comeback. Guitarist Nick McCarthy has confirmed to the Daily Record that the Glasgow, Scotland-based hit-makers do, indeed, have new music on their minds, and they'll reconvene next year to make it happen.

"We're thinking of doing something again after a bit of a sabbatical," he said. "We'd toured to excess and needed to enjoy playing again. It is going really well." Franz Ferdinand hasn't played a proper tour in two years, so the news of a reunion is certainly overdue.

McCarthy went on to say the guys are finally okay with taking a few years off between albums, whereas before, they wanted to push new music out constantly. more on this story



Megadeth's Mustaine Explains The High Price of Headbanging
(Rock News Desk) Dave Mustaine says headbanging has brought pain all thrash musicians and he compares the act to giving yourself chronic whiplash.

The Megadeth mainman recently underwent surgery for a neck and spine condition known as stenosis, after struggling through the pain barrier to complete the band's US Mayhem Festival tour.

"I knew I was hurt, but I didn't know how bad. Nobody knew the writing was on the wall," He tells Decibel. "I pretty much thought, 'Well, I'm hurt, but I'll just take it easy, have a couple of glasses of wine. I'll get through it, get a couple of trigger point injections, get an epidural.' more on this story



Ratt, Def Leppard and Poison Covered On Guilt By Association 3
(Sub) Engine Room Recordings will continue thier covers compilation series with Guilt By Association Vol. 3, which will be released on November 15, 2011.

The Guilt By Association concept is easy, Engine Room asks artists to cover songs that one could call a guilty pleasure, but the catch is we all love these songs guilt free! Past volumes included tracks by Devendra Banhart, Will Oldham, Superchunk, My Brightest Diamond, Matt Pond PA, and Frightened Rabbit covering artists such as Mariah Carey, Ace of Base and Destiny's Child.

On Guilt By Association Volume 3, Engine Room has gone one step further and added a theme within the theme. For this newest installment, all of the songs had to be plucked from everyone's favorite genre, 80's hair metal. Vol. 3 features Helmet covering Loudness, Mike Viola tackling Ratt, Madison Square Gardeners doing Poison, Canon Logic taking on Cinderella and Bird of Youth covering Skid Row. more including a link to a free download!



Scott Weiland Image Not Really Scott Weiland?
(Gibson) Back in the 1990s, it would be been impossible to foreshadow that Scott Weiland, bad-boy frontman of Stone Temple Pilots, would ever record a Christmas album. But, it's 2011, and Weiland is a different man; the kind that appreciates time-honored classics such as "Silent Night," "Winter Wonderland" and "What Child is This?"

Weiland's new album of Christmas songs, The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, dropped last month, and if you ask Weiland, he doesn't think the fact he's putting out a jolly collection is all that surprising. "My solo albums are very avant-garde compared to Velvet Revolver or STP," the 44-year-old told Spin. "It's more influenced by bands I like such as Granddaddy and the Flaming Lips and Sigur Ros and The Smiths…"

He added that his current public persona isn't at all representative of Weiland in 2011. "My image now is only a smidgen [of] who I actually am," he said. "Just like Keith Richards or Perry Farrell or even Mick Jagger. Jagger was never a real druggie, but they were thought of as the bad boys. I had a period in my life in the '90s where I was definitely young, dumb and full of even more dumb." more on this story



The Who's Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend Launch Teen & Young Adult Cancer Program
(hennemusic) Rock legends Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend of The Who have always said they owe much of their musical success to teenagers.

In a heartfelt repayment, Roger Daltrey announced the launch of the UCLA Daltrey/Townshend Teen & Young Adult Cancer Program, which will serve teens and young adult cancer patients at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.

The vision of the program is to ensure that every young person receives the best possible care and professional support to help them meet the physical and emotional challenges of a cancer diagnosis. The belief is that teenagers and young adults shouldn't stop enjoying their youth just because they have cancer. more on this story



Timothy B. Schmit Solo Tour and Q and A
The Eagles and Poco's Timothy B. Schmit is hitting the road towards the end of the month for a North American solo tour. MSO sent over the details along with a cool Q&A with Schmit.

For the month-long trek , Timothy and his full band will perform songs from his fifth solo effort Expando (2009, Lost Highway/Universal) as well as gems by The Eagles and Poco.

Written and produced by Schmit, Expando presents a diverse mix of Americana, folk, country, rock and blues with an eclectic array of iconic artists including The Blind Boys of Alabama, Garth Hudson, Kid Rock, Graham Nash, Van Dyke Parks, Benmont Tench and Dwight Yoakam, among others. Highlights on the varied 11-song disc include "Parachute," "Downtime," "One More Mile," "White Boy From Sacramento," "Good Day" and the new single "Friday Night." more on this story



Napalm Death Set New Album Release
Napalm Death are putting the final touches on their 14th studio album, Utilitarian, which it will hit stores on February 27th in Europe and February 28th in North.

Singer Mark "Barney" Greenway explains the album title and concept: "After some deliberation, we have decided on Utilitarian as the album title. We generally try to avoid generic titles, and this seemed to have a lot of scope to it. I won't explain the full meaning of Utilitarianism here because it's an ethical theory, and as ethical theories go, the depth and debate around it is quite heavy at times. It has a certain 'morality' aspect to it and that isn't something that drives me, so I also certainly have issues with it."

"So, rather than just nail that straight to the mast, of course we wanted to put our own spin on it by suggesting that those (i.e. the utilitarian in us, perhaps) who try to challenge everything, or fight against conventions, well, we go through periods of real self-doubt where we wonder if we're really making a difference. I suppose the conclusion is that, for the sake of all our freedoms, you should never stop, as even the feeling of resistance is at least a signal to those who would like to entirely control and dominate us - meaning everything from our instinctive behavior to our human entitlement to walk the earth unprovoked." more on this story



INXS Debut New Singer Live
INXS performed with their new lead singer Ciaran Gribbin for the first time last week at Jardin de la Cerveza in Arequipa, Peru on Nov. 3, 2011, to kick off their South American tour. Their camp sent over the following:

"I had the best night of my life singing with INXS in Peru. The band was on fire and the wonderful audience was so up for it—a truly awesome experience that I will cherish forever," said Gribbin. INXS performed for over two hours to the Peruvian fans rocking out to some of their greatest hits such as, "Mystify, Suicide Blonde, Need You Tonight and of course their latest release written by Andrew Farriss and Gribbin, Tiny Summer.

Gribbin's debut performance had fans flocking to the band's official Facebook page in admiration of the show. more on this story



Animals As Leaders New Album Preview
Animals As Leaders have launched a sampler of their new album, Weightless, online at YouTube, where you can hear portions of every track from the album.

The album was released in mainland Europe last week, is being released today, Monday the 7th in the UK and Tuesday the 8th in North America. "Weightless" marks the recording debuts of drummer Navene Koperweis, who spearheaded the production of the album, and guitarist Javier Reyes, who mixed the album. Listen here

Animals As Leaders are out now on an extensive North American tour with Between The Buried And Me more on this story



John Lennon Tooth Sells For A Tidy Sum
(Rock News Desk) A tooth which John Lennon pulled from his own mouth has been bought at auction for £32,000. The strange souvenir was purchased by dentist Michael Zuk, who plans to put it on display in his practice.

Lennon extracted the tooth in the kitchen of his Surrey home at the end of the 1960s and gave it to housekeeper Dot Jarlett, telling her: "Will you dispose of this? Or, as your daughter is a Beatles fan, you can give it to her as a souvenir."

The item wound up in the hands of Dot's son Barry, who put it on sale at the weekend. more on this story



Nonpoint Set New Album Target
Nonpoint have inked a new recording and publishing deal with Razor & Tie, who will release their next album in Spring of 2012.

Nonpoint is already deep into writing their forthcoming new album having demo'd over two dozen songs.

"We couldn't be happier or more excited about our up-coming new partnership with Razor & Tie. Their aggressive staff and fresh plan of attack has us excited to get this record on the shelves and on the airwaves because I know they will reach for greatness and are as proud of being a part of this project as we are. We're very much looking forward to the next album cycle," comments Elias Soriano of Nonpoint. more on this story



Book Of Job Set Album Plans
On January the 9th, Book Of Job will enter Realsound Studio in Parma (Italy) with producer Wahoomi Corvi (Crysalys, The Way Of Purity). Wormholedeath will release their debut album titled "Hamartia" world-wide through Aural Music Group.

Release date is due during the winter of 2012 and will be announced at the end of the current year.

Lead Vocalist, Kaya Tarsus stated : "We are very excited to join the Wormhole Death roster, we have been given the opportunity to spread our music world wide and with the help of the Wormhole Death team we will achieve this. We have been working hard writing our debut album and we cant wait to hit the studio in January to begin the recording process. When we return to the UK we will be looking to play as many shows as we can, our aim is to showcase our own brand of metal thats gonna make you jump out your seat! Prepare to get BOJ'd! " more on this story



Pearl Jam Twenty Is Number One
(Sony) Pearl Jam Twenty DVD has debuted at number one on the TOP DVD Music Video Chart.

Pearl Jam Twenty directed by Cameron Crowe was released on October 24 and features special extras on each band member, and amazing unreleased live footage.

Pearl Jam Twenty is a Cameron Crowe film told in big themes and bold colors with blistering sound. The film chronicles the years leading up to the band's formation, the chaos that ensued soon-after being catapulted into superstardom, their step back from the spotlight with the instinct of self-preservation, and the creation of a trusted circle that would surround them—giving way to a work culture that would sustain them. The film celebrates the freedom that allows the band to make music without losing themselves, their fans, or the music lovers they'd always been. more on this story



Forward To The Apocalypse Fest This Weekend
The annual Forward To The Apocalypse Fest is set to take place this weekend (November 11 and 12th) at The Wormhole is Savannah, Ga.

Organizers state that the Forward To The Apocalypse Fest is a yearly event since 2008 that features some of the best Grindcore, Black Metal, Death Metal, Crust, Punk and Hardcore bands from the underbelly of the Rock n Roll wastelands in which the most unholy of debauchery is summoned forth.

Here is this year's lineup: Friday: November 11th (confirmed as 11/7) Strong Intention, Shadow Of Creation, Tombstalker, Hot Graves, Ammon, Indian Giver

Day 2 Saturday November 12th: Phobia, Cough, Caltrop, Man Will Destroy Himself, Dead Yet?, Atrocitus, Black P****, Slave Grave, They Eat Their Own God.

You can grab more info plus ticket details here.



Singled Out: JD Malone & The Experts' Do What You Can Do
Today JD Malone from JD Malone & The Experts tells us about" Do What You Can Do" from their brand new album "Avalon". Here is the story:

The music for my song "Do What You Can Do" was inspired by the music of the song "Stand By Me". Written by Ben E King, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. I liked the easygoing feel of the 2/4 beat and how the chord changes seemed to flow in what feels like a circle. In general I wanted the music to feel comforting.

The lyrics were inspired by my experiences with a friend that ultimately lost his battle with cancer. In the beginning I struggled with where I fit in. I wasn't a doctor. What could I do to ease the suffering of another? Whenever confronted with those types of situations you will have conflicting emotions. In the chorus of "Do What You Can Do" you can find evidence of that. "I am…feeling…angry and amused" and "I am…feeling…peaceful and confused."

In the end I settled it in myself to do the things that I could do. To makes the things better that I can make better. And to try and not worry about things I cannot control. The circle of life is the way of the universe and all I can do is be part of it, hopefully a contributing part of it. "The seasons come and the seasons go…like the people that we know…I'll thank you now for the time well spent". So for me the song is not a song of despair and loss but a song of realization and gratitude. Thankful for all the people I've known, thankful for all my joys and sorrows and thankful for being part of the circle of life.

Van Halen to make announcement at Grammy Nominations November 30th?

Friday, 4 November 2011

The website Hitfix.com is speculating that VAN HALEN will be the band rumored to make a “special live announcement” at the November 30th Grammy Nominations Concert in Los Angeles!

From Hitfix.com (our emphasis is in bold):

Ludacris and Sugarland join Lady Gaga and Jason Aldean at Grammy Nominations Concert

“So is it Van Halen? That’s our guess. A very cryptic message from The Recording Academy, the folks who bring you the Grammys, came out today, announcing more acts for the line-up for The Grammy Nominations Concert Live. The hour-long program airs Nov. 30, live from Los Angeles’ Nokia Theater, and, in addition to announcing nominations for the Feb. 12 Grammy Awards, the special will feature appearances by a number of acts.

Added to the previously named Lady Gaga and Jason Aldean are Ludacris, Lupe Fiasco and Sugarland (we wonder if we’re in for a reprise of Ludacris joining Aldean for the rap on “Dirt Road Anthem?”)

Toward the end of the announcement, the Recording Academy slipped in that the TV show will “feature a special live announcement from a truly iconic group regarding their historic band reunion set to take place” at the Grammys.

Here’s why we think it’s Van Halen: the band — i.e. the David Lee Roth-fronted version — has recorded new material with John Shanks, although when we asked the producer about it a few months ago, he buttoned up tight, but he smiled big. Plus, other outlets, like The Hollywood Reporter, assert that the group has already inked with Columbia Records for the new set, although the label isn’t talking. So… if there’s a finished album, or nearly finished album, in the can, the Grammys would be the perfect place to debut the first single.

My mind instantly assumed it was a rock band, but it could be some other genre.”

This was followed up by a tweet from the official Grammy’s twitter account later that day:

TheGRAMMYs:

Who do u predict the reuniting band will be @ #GRAMMYnoms? grm.my/vH7p3Y Does this hint make u wanna “Jump” & “Dance the Night Away”?

To summarize, “The iconic group” will make a live ANNOUNCEMENT during the Grammys Nomination Concert (Nov. 30th) about their reunion. The Grammy’s tweet pretty much leaves NO doubt that the mystery band is indeed VAN HALEN. Is this just dishonest hype? Or will Van Halen really appear at the Grammy Nominations Concert on Nov. 30th?

So unless the Grammys are lying (hard to imagine!), November 30th is the date that Van Halen will publicly announce their NEW ALBUM AND TOUR!

20,000 say no to Nickelback

November 4, 2011



Detroit rock fans protest over Canadians’ NFL booking – saying they don’t want Motor city associated with Kroeger and co

NickelbackOver 20,000 Detroit rock fans have signed a petition calling for Nickelback to be ditched as the half-time entertainment during a high-profile football game.

The Canadian band have been booked to appear at the nationally-televised Thanksgiving game between the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers on November 24.

But thousands have come out in support of an online campaign to have them replaced.

The Change.org petition reads: “Do we really want the rest of the US to associate Detroit with Nickelback? Detroit is home to so many great musicians… and they chose Nickelback?

“Does anyone even like Nickelback? Is this some sort of ploy to get people to leave their seats during half-time to spend money on alcoholic beverages and concessions?

“This is completely unfair to those of us who purchased tickets to the game. At least the people watching at home can mute their TVs.”

Supporter Robert Jones says: “As a professional music producer, engineer, songwriter and lifelong Lions fan, I am disgusted with the choice of Nickelback as a representation of music and culture in Detroit.

“Our city is famous for the creation of an entire genre: Motown. Not to mention very strong hip-hop, DJ, and rock and roll scenes.

“Nickelback’s music doesn’t even reflect a musical genre that has ever been popular in the city. It is not rock and roll, its a nasty hybrid of the worst manufactured music on the planet.”

Lions fan Scott Brown says: “I am a 30-plus year season ticket holder with a vow never to be seen at a Nickelback show. I shouldn’t have to choose between the Lions and Nickelback.”

But the band have a strong following in Motor City, which has a history of adopting rock bands before the rest of the US.

Local radio boss Doug Podell tells Freep: “They broke out of here, they’ve been extremely popular here, and I think they’ve sold out pretty much every show here since the beginning.

“Rock audiences ought to be happy about these guys — they’re one of the few rock acts left that can still play a halftime show. There aren’t many of that stature anymore.

“It doesn’t matter how vocal the elite 1% gets about it. Detroit loves its mainstream rock, and more so than other cities.”

Ratt frontman Stephen Pearcy updates via video!

Thursday, 03 November 2011

Ratt frontman Stephen Pearcy updates via video!

Pearcy "I have no reason to rush this, it's my time & dime!"



Stephen Pearcy recently talked at length with EARDISH in a video interview.

A few things he talks about are his friends (solo band members), which include Greg D'Angelo (Drums/White Lion) and Mike Duda (Bass/W.A.S.P). He also talks about how the songs for "Sucker Punch" come togeher, and naming favorites: "Don't Wanna Talk About That" & "Too Much is Never Enough".

The main rodent also talks about some solo shows coming up before years end and when asked about the future of Ratt - Pearcy says: "Go out and do the victory lap!"

Check out the full video interview on Top Fuel Nation YouTube

Follow Stephen Pearcy on Twitter

Today's Day In Pop

Watch Jimmy Fallon As Justin Bieber In The (It's Not My) Baby Video
(popmusiclife) The Justin Bieber paternity suit continues to make headlines and, whenever a story gets this big, this fast, you just know a spoof is waiting around the corner.

Jimmy Fallon stepped up Wednesday night with a Justin impression and reworking of his smash, "Baby."

In full Bieber costume, including wig and dance moves, Fallon performed "(It's Not My) Baby" on his show, with house band The Roots backing him up.

"You said we did it, and I'm a dad. My lawyer's tripping, 'cause this looks bad. You only said this to get my cash. Now Selena Gomez is going to kick my a**," Fallon sings n full-on Bieber mode. "It's not my baby, baby, baby. Oh-oh, it's not my baby, baby, baby." more on this story



Matchbox Twenty's Rob Thomas Announces Intimate Shows
Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas is set to perform a series of intimate shows to benefit Sidewalk Angels Foundation, the non-profit organization founded by Rob and his wife Marisol.

Thomas will return to Uncasville, CT's Mohegan Sun on December 30th and Atlantic City's Borgata Casino January 6th and 7th, 2012.

Rob Thomas and his matchbox twenty bandmates are currently in the studio working on a new studio album set for release in 2012. more on this story



Wynonna Judd Kicks Off Solo Tour
Wynonna Judd kicked off a series of solo dates yesterday in Phoenix, the same city where The Judds recently ended their tour.

Wynonna will host a "Thanks & Giving" meet & greet at every stop along the tour. "It means a lot to me to have such dedicated and hardworking fans that have been with me throughout my journey. Thanking each person is always hard to do, but I'm going to meet as many fans as possible and express my appreciation to them in person" shares Judd. Fans can go to wynonna.com for complete details.

Before closing out the year, Wynonna will also return to the studio in December to continue working on her 8th studio album for Curb Records. more on this story



Beth Current's New Single To Benefit Breast Cancer Charities
Beth Current will be releasing her new album, Simple Things, in December and also plans to release a new single on iTunes called "Prove Them Wrong".

A portion of the proceeds from the single will go to the Susan G. Kormen Foundation and Relay for Life.

Beth and her band filmed a video and the purpose was designed to honor those currently fighting breast cancer, survivors of the disease, and the family of victims. Check out the video



The Monkees Musical Coming
(Gibson) Sixties pop sensations, The Monkees, are to get the musical stage show treatment next year. The Stage reports that the musical, Monkee Business the Musical, will open at the Manchester Opera House in March.

Producer Michael Rose said: "Monkee Business the Musical is a real feel-good night out for all the family and I am so pleased we are getting to share it with Manchester first, having seen what great audiences the city has when we brought Chitty Chitty Bang Bang there in 2006 and 2010. It is a real privilege that EMI have given the production musical access to some of the greatest songs of the 20th century. I can't wait to hear the Manchester response."

Coincidentally, original Monkee Davy Jones was born in Manchester, even appearing on Manchester TV drama Coronation Street before finding pop fame in America. more on this story



CMA Awards Add LeAnn Rimes, Dierks Bentley, Billy Currington and Lauren Alaina
CMA Awards have announced additional artists that will making appearances at the event. On Thursday they sent out this update:

2011 "American Idol" runner-up Lauren Alaina, 2005 CMA Horizon Award winner Dierks Bentley, Billy Currington, Jake Owen, Kellie Pickler, 2011 Country Music Hall of Fame inductee and six-time CMA Award winner Reba, and 1997 CMA Horizon Award winner LeAnn Rimes are the first artists and celebrities to be announced as presenters on "The 45th Annual CMA Awards."

Singer/songwriter Matt Nathanson will perform his new single "Run" with the previously-announced Sugarland. Nathanson and Sugarland co-wrote "Run" and toured together earlier this year. The song is found on his Modern Love album, which also features his Billboard Hot AC Top 15 single "Faster." more on this story



Futurebirds Offering Up Holiday Road Super Single
Futurebirds are releasing their Holiday Road Super Single, which will be sold exclusively at all shows of their upcoming Holiday Road Tour in December.

The four-song split single features the driving jangle of brand new Futurebirds track "Serial Bowls" and their languid and atmospheric cover of "nearsayerfive" by eddie the wheel (who plays in Holiday Road touring mate grass giraffes).

The single also includes grass giraffes remix of "Megachills" (from Futurebirds' 2009 debut S/T EP) as well as a grass giraffes original, "Don't Forget Me". A free download of their "nearsayerfive" cover is available via Futurebirds' Facebook page. more on this story



Rodney Atkins To Take Part In The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is going country with the addition of Rodney Atkins to its performer line-up.

On Thursday, Nov. 24, 2011 at 9 a.m. the 85th Anniversary celebration will take over New York City with over 8,000 participants including whimsical characters, performance groups, marching bands, celebrities, Santa Claus and more.

Fans can expect to hear Atkins performing fan-favorite hits and new songs including the No. 1 chart-topping title track from his latest album, "Take A Back Road," as part of the day's festivities. more on this story



Basketball Wives' Evelyn Lozada Launching Book Series
Basketball Wives star Evelyn Lozada has just inked a multi-platform six-figure deal with Cash Money Content for literary and feature film projects

Bryan "Baby" Williams and his brother Ronald "Slim" Williams are founders & CEO's of Cash Money Content the publishers that are overseeing the book deal.

The first of the projects is Evelyn's book series, "The Wives Association," co-authored by novelist and former Law & Order: Criminal Intent writer, Courtney Parker, which will follow Evelyn's alter ego, character Eve Inez-Landon and will fictionalize aspects of real life events that have come from years of dating a professional athlete. more on this story



Braxton Family Values Released From Hospital for Blood Clot
(TMZ) Toni Braxton's brother-in-law -- who also stars on "Braxton Family Values" -- has been released from the hospital after suffering a blood clot in his lungs ... TMZ has learned.

Vince Herbert was rushed to a NY hospital two weeks ago ... and the whole Braxton fam rallied around the music producer for support ... even canceling important media events.

Sources close to the family tell TMZ Toni is extremely relieved ... but she considers the situation a "wake-up call" to get her own health checked out more regularly ... especially because she suffers from lupus.

And fear not "Braxton" fans ... we're told the fam is back in full publicity mode ... gearing up for the new season to premiere next week. more on this story



Porky's Star Commits Suicide
(TMZ) The wife of deceased actor Wyatt Knight -- who played Tommy Turner in the "Porky's" movies -- confirms the actor took his own life ... telling TMZ he wanted to escape the "physical and emotional pain" caused by intense cancer treatments.

TMZ broke the story ... Wyatt's body was discovered on October 26 in Maui -- and cops believe the death was a suicide.

Now, Wyatt's wife Silvina Knight tells us, it's true -- Wyatt recently overcame a battle with cancer but the radiation therapy "left him in both physical and emotional pain."

Silvina adds, "He was tired of the pain and after much contemplation, chose to end his life in a beautiful and a serene place."

It's unclear if Silvina was aware of Wyatt's alleged suicide plot before he died -- but she claims, "His Family and friends are devastated. "

"Wyatt was an incredibly talented, intelligent and loving person with an amazing spirit. He is free and at peace." more on this story



Family Force 5 Christmas Pageant With Hawk Nelson
Family Force 5 have announced their third annual "The Christmas Pageant" tour will kick off December 6 and will feature Hawk Nelson and special guest Manafest.

This holiday extravaganza started in 2009 with the release of their album The Christmas Pageant. As true to the Famly Force 5 live show, "The Christmas Pageant" promises an evening of classic holiday tunes in their incendiary dance-rock style as well as possible snowstorms, over-sized presents and more fun-filled surprises.

More than half of the VIP tickets have already been sold offering fans a special time with FAMILY FORCE 5 and Hawk Nelson. VIP ticket holders will get to celebrate Christmas with the bands before anyone else with early entry into the show, hear acoustic sets from both bands, special Q&A session filled with Christmas treats, photo opportunities and a Christmas gift from FAMILY FORCE 5. more on this story



Willy Wonka Star Dies
(TMZ) Leonard Stone -- the guy who played Violet Beauregarde's dad in the 1971 classic, "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" died this week after a bout with cancer ... a rep for the actor tells TMZ.

Family members tell us Stone -- who famously delivered the line, "Violet, you're turning VIOLET!" -- loved being an actor and would often recite lines from the movie anytime people asked him to.

Stone also appeared on "Wheel of Fortune" back in 2000 ... winning $4,250 in cash and a trip to Bermuda.

He was 87. more on this story



Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries Prenup Battle Sealed Their Fate?
(TMZ) The die was cast in the Kim Kardashian/Kris Humphries marriage during the prenup negotiations -- which were marked by bickering, pettiness, and even contempt ... sources connected with the former couple tell TMZ.

Our sources say ... the prenup was negotiated during the summer. Kim, Kris, and their lawyers had multiple meetings in various configurations. We're told both Kim and Kris were sniping at each other during the talks, each complaining -- sometimes bitterly -- about the way the other was treating them.

One of the big sticking points -- how much of a cut Kris would get from all the wedding-generated moolah.

As one person familiar with the situation tells TMZ ... "It was really apparent then ... this marriage wasn't going to last, and even they could see it wasn't a good idea."